#359
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- Опубліковано 31 тра 2024
- Is this antenna good or bad, and for which frequency is it useful? A question I am often asked. Because a lousy antenna reduces the range of a device considerably. Or another question: Did the supplier cheat on this filter? At the end of this video, you will be able to answer these questions with confidence. And you know everything you always wanted to know about how to properly use a NanoVNA and the Smith Chart.
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My HAMradio channel: / @hb9bla
Links:
LiteVNA 4" (currently best VNA): s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_A6jaWD or amzn.to/3tWffz4
2.8" SMA NanoVNA V2: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_A6Pm3F or s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_9zdUZ9
4" Type N NanoVNA V2: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_AaJcaR
RF Demo Kit: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_AnJR0X
nanoVNA Kit PCB: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_98dlH7
Forum (Lots of info, up-to-date): nanorfe.com/
VNA_QT Software: github.com/nanovna/NanoVNA-QT...
NanoVNA-Saver: github.com/NanoVNA-Saver/nano...
W2AEW Channel: / @w2aew
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As a telecommunications engineer, is such a joy to watch your videos, you teach some very complex topics with such a simple explanation, I wish I knew you during my college time. Thank you for your videos.
Thank you! I read the comment about the college times not for the first time ;-)
Brilliant video I am a retired science teacher and have been a ham more than 50 years. I just bought my first VNA. You clearly explain the device and its calibration and use. A lot easier to follow than most explanations I have read.
Thank you. If you are a HAM maybe my second channel is interesting for you (ua-cam.com/channels/QwyP4Yd0-O49e05kMUJgQQ.html )?
Well done. I am an engineer, but my speciality was RF. I was an RF engineer and still have HP and a Anritsu Network analyzers. Unfortunately i suffer pretty bad from MS now and i am disabled, but RF was my favorite thing. You did a very goid job explaining the basics on VNA’s. Bravo. I enjoy your channel very much. My friend, mentor and hero in the RF and antenna world passed away this year. His name was Richard (Dick) Austin. He was well known in the US for his ham radio antennas. He also made antennas for lockhead martin, GE, Boeing and more. He was building antennae until his death this Feb at age 85. He taught me so much. He is missed. You made me think about him. Thank you. Bob S.
Thank you for your compliment. It means a lot to me if I read such things from professionals. RF these days is no more so "sexy" as it was in earlier days. This is the reason I made this and other videos about antennas and also SDR receivers. Young people at least should know the basics. And I am not sure if RF is in the curriculum of a typical EE degree anymore.
You were lucky to have such a teacher!
I've worked with frequencies up to many GHz for many years and have used but never fully understood Smith charts. Thanks to you, I now do.
Your method of explaining a very complex subject in very simple terms is most entertaining. WELL DONE.
Thank you very much for your kind words! They mean a lot to me because you know the topic.
Great video, thank you! Sometimes dudes with >$50k VNAs cannot cover the basics at the level of clarity you did. Great explanation on the Smith Chart. While the magnitude of S11 can tell you that things went wrong, the impedance tells you the exact direction of where they go wrong.
Often experts are not the best teachers ;-)
@@AndreasSpiess exactly
Thank you for this video, I am a new ham and am trying to build antennas. I purchased a NanoVNA thinking it would be easy to use and help with building antennas. I was ignorant and built them poorly. I tried to read up on the NanoVNA as well as Smith Charts and ended up confusing myself greatly. Thanks to your video I now understand how to use my equipment properly and read a Smith Chart. I can't thank you enough.
Antennas never are easy ;-)
Spectacular video!!!
I understand smith charts much better now.
Also, I now know what the second channel on my Nano-VMA is for.
Thank you for all your works!!!
Glad it was helpful!
An excellent and logical presentation as always, making a complex subject clear and understandable. Thank you.
Glad you liked it! Thank you.
As an ‘old ham’ who only ever used SWR meters to check out an aerial, This video is simply amazing as to just what the Nano can do, always thought this sort of equipment was out of my price range, I’m blown away, Thank you so much for such a well presented and very informative video. Take care, 😃👍
These instruments were out of range for me, too. This is why I love to live now. We can afford a lot of good stuff and have fun with it :-) It is really astonishing.
Endlich hab ich das Smithchart verstanden. Sehr schöne Erklärung. Ich werde jetzt öfter meinen vna kalibrieren. Ich glaube man kann auch Resonatoren mit dem nanovna messen. Ich dachte ich hätte einen Saw Filter aber es war ein saw resonator, da er im nanovna keine Dämpfungskurve anzeigte, sondern nur eine gerade, aber der swr war nur am der resonatorfrequenz perfekt und im restlichen Bereich sehr schlecht, was ja auch hilft andere Frequenzen zu blocken.
Filter haben am Eingang normalerweise ein schlechtes SWR für Frequenzen die sie sperren. Wichtig ist ja der Output... Allan hat ein Video gemacht wo er Quarze ausmisst.
Reminds me of when I was in Uni, using old VNA's to tune open-air harmonic transformer coils. This video could be an introduction to the other parameters one uses in electrical engineering (y, h, z, g...). Maybe even explore the stability of such systems, quite advanced stuff though, not sure everyone knows about control theory. As always another great video.
This is probably how far I will get on this channel... But I thought it is needed. Many nanoVNA video creators do not cover the basics.
Das ist eins der besten, verständlichsten Erklärung zum/des NanoVNA die man hier finden kann. Zum allerersten mal verstehe ich was eigentlich gemeint ist. Leider habe ich dein Video erst jetzt entdeckt; möchte mich aber trotzdem sehr für deine verständlichen Erklärungen bedanken..! 👍 🙏 🤝 VG, Holger
Vielen Dank für die netten Worte!
Nice job! And thank you for the recommendation for my channel.
You are welcome. I am a longtime subscriber of your channel and do not miss one video.
@@AndreasSpiess Thank you Andreas - that means a lot to me, coming from you. I hope my channel is as popular as yours someday! (you have twice as many subscribers!).
You guys are both awesome..you are contributing with great content for the community.
Wishing you good health and happiness 😊
Your channel is excellent w2aew, I hope your subscriber base grows, it deserves to given the quality of the information you produce!
The guy with the Swiss accent also has some great stuff :-)
You guys are both so good at explaining electronics.
Very well explained and simple. I love the way you organize "The Lecture". Good teacher! Keep on doing these videos
Thank you! Glad you like it.
I shared your video with my fellow classmates. I have gone through a electromagnetics course with RF focus, yet your video simplified it for me that much more! Thank you for this amazing piece!
Glad it was helpful!
That was surprisingly helpful. I didn't even know what vector network analyzers where used for before!
Glad you know it now! Everything seems to go wireless, but sometimes basic knowledge is not there. RF basics are also not taught at universities anymore. At least for the general EEs
A wonderful explanation of the Smith chart I never have seen before!
Thank you again for this splendid lecture.
Thank you for your nice words!
I've never watched a better video of this type. I enjoyed every second of it.
If I had teachers like you during my schooling days, I would've been a straight A student.
Thank you for your nice words!
I got a kick out of your VSWR comment. I am both an RF engineer and a ham. Before I retired I had to constantly switch gears about impedance matching depending on who I was talking to. In my experience most people working with antennas tend toward VSWR where engineers working on integrated systems talk return loss. My own preference is return loss because for some reason I am better able to envision it. VSWR is a dimensionless ratio whereas return loss is an actual measurement of how much power is being reflected back into the system. Last company I worked for actually reported both VSWR and return loss for their products.
I agree with your observation about antennas. 1:1 is a simple goal there...
What a marvelous & concise demo & tutorial. Your presentation of moving the cursor by changing the input really helps many people visualize what, exactly, is happening. Excellent video Sir, & a tip of my hat to you !
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you Andreas for this very helpful video! Now I understand the smith-diagram and ordered the hf-demo-kit test board. Very good explanation and easy to understand!
That was the goal. Glad it worked out! Thank you for the feedback.
I have watched this video a few times and found it to be a very useful reference work. Especially if you, like me, come from a non technical background and are learning in your later years. I understand the principles now and feel I can use my basic, original type nano VNA properly. Thanks for taking the time to make this video.
Glad it was helpful! And thank you for your feedback.
So much knowledge in your head! I learn so much, I must see your videos several times to get it! Thank you again Andreas!
You are right, this is not simple stuff!
This is THE place to find out about all VNAs, not just the NANO. Well done and thank you.
Thank you. The "NanoVNA" is to help google find it ;-)
@@AndreasSpiess That's how I found it. I have a AIM 4170D single port to (10 KHz to 180MHz and bought the NANO V2-F to extend the range and get a 2 port device. What I found is that there is a fairly good comparison but, as expected, the AIM unit is accurate enough to actually help tune "things" (like tweaking a filter or an antenna) while the NANO not so much. The AIM information matched several other test instruments while the NANO frequency measurement was off by several KHz (in 3-30MHz range) even though calibrated for as narrow as possible. Still a useful quick see tool for the cost. If you would like to see data get me your email and I'll send Excel and Graphical data.
I did this talk at our local HAM club (OCARS), but not nearly as well. Well done. Next time I just show your video hi-hi.
A presentation always is better than just a video. So: Well done!
I am back watching this video again. I like the flow of this and the balance of theory and practical. Thanks for your video! I am amazed that I can even have a network analyzer for home use. The ones we used to use at work were thousands of dollars.
Indeed, we live in an excellent time with all this cheap electronics. The nanoVNA is one of the best things I ever owned!
It's the first time, I have seen the an simple and graphic explanation of the relation between Smith Chart - SWR and what the VNA does. Thank you very much!!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you so much for the explanation. The breaking up of the topic and the sequence of explanation was fantastic. You also anticipated FAQ questions and answered them pre-emptively. Thank you again on all the efforts. I subscribed :)
Welcome aboard the channel!
Not only an excellent easily digested appraisal of these VNA's, but also a great intro to the Smiths Chart by bringing it to life - THANK YOU so much! :)
Glad you liked it!
We had a lengthy discussion on our ham radio net last night about nano VNA's, i asserted exactly what you said, but not in the great detail you did. This video explains it very well and accuratly, so I will pass it on to them. Your presentation was excellent, and I had to play with mine while watching, the RF demo board is also a MUST HAVE for learning the VNA, their great for measuring crystals, traps, lots. thanks, Barry VK2FP/AG7VC
Glad my video helped for your argumentation ;-)
I love my VNA --- electronic hobbiest and Ham radio operator. I made my first two UHF yagis, designed, and tuned them in an unorthodox manner - pure experimental.
It became much easier to build such projects. Less guesswork...
Thank you for this video. I just bought a NanoVNA and so found your video very instructive, especially the points you make about proper calibration.
Glad it was helpful!
fantastic , just bought one , now I shall use it with confidence . Thank you for another great video.
I hope you will enjoy it!
Excellent presentation! I just got my nanoVNA today and had never seen a Smith Chart. Now I have an understanding of how to use them. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
One of the best tutorials. Thank you. Good to watch this before using the device for the first time.
Glad it helped
As usual from you excellent explantions and demos of what you do. I learnt some info that I should have known but didnt. Thanks again
You are probably not the only. It was the same with me. This was the reason for this video.
Thanks for hammering on calibration! I've seen videos that say you calibrate once and you're done forever... My BS meter immediately pegged and bent the needle... 👍
If the conditions do not change and you do not expect too much this is probably ok. Still it is good to understand where you do shortcuts...
Great explanation of why we need to calibrate when the frequencies change. I'm preparing a test equipment presentation for an amateur radio club and this helps as I am not that familiar with VNAs.
VNAs are Perfect for HAMs and it is good if you educate them.
Excellent work, thank you very much for your time in making this video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very good concise explanation. A great help as I've just purchased a NanoVNA-F. Thanks
I hope you will have fun with it!
As a budding ham the concepts and terminologies have been baffling, and after wandering the corridors of antenna information stumbled into your lecture space on VNA. Your explanation of the Nano was so clearly expressed I departed with a solid understanding of the device and its application...much appreciated.
Glad the content was helpful. This technology changes a lot for HAMs!
Tuning out the reactance in real time on a Smith Chart was so cool! I would almost buy one for that... What I would have given for one of those 40 years ago. But the Bird 43 directional wattmeter was great at its job
Those Bird Wattmeters still are great for their purpose! But I already said it many times: We live in a wonderful (electronics) time!
Superb explanation of VNA and Smith chart use. Many thanks Andreas!
You are welcome!
Wonderful explanation. I feel like I need you on retainer to explain stuff to me. I do not work with any radio signals. I use scopes as an industrial emergency power tech and watch a ton of scope related content . I think this is why the device popped in my feed and sparked my curiosity. Having OCD with needing to understand stuff I found your video after watching about 20 with no help. The demonstration of inductance and capacitance "resonated " with me because I deal with power actor issues from motor loads and VFD drives. I also have to use power factor correction on datacenters . The swift chart is pretty cool. I only understand it now thanks to you!
Glad the video was helpful to extend your knowledge a bit. It is always good to know a bit more than the minimum ;-)
This is really well done. I am not an electrical engineer, not even close, but you clearly lay out what this device can do and how to do it so even a layman like me can leverage the tool. Many thanks!
You are welcome! Enjoy your tool.
EXCELLENT introduction to the nano VNA, & one of the best & simplest explanations I've seen on the use of a Smith chart. Thank you, Andreas! I'll be ordering a nano VNA shortly. ;)
You will have a lot of fun with it, I am sure!
Thank you for the short and precise Smith chart explanation - I think I'll finally remember inductance is up and capacitance is down :)
At least something ;-)
Great explanation of the Smith chart, the first time I saw one I was intimidated for sure.
Glad you enjoyed it!
One of your best videos-clear and informative.
Thank you!
Andreas, Thank-you so much for your lucid explanations anchored in reality. And thanks for introducing me to the VNA. Best.
Glad you liked the content!
Wow! Thanks for this Andreas! This is stuff I've desperately wanted to understand for years!
Glad it was helpful!
This video is truly excellent! I've seen other videos that provide incomplete and/or altogether incorrect information on the NanoVNAs.
Thank you! Maybe that fact was the reason for this video ;-)
Congratulations Andreas! You make easy to understand all with your videos! You are from this planet?
MANY thanks!
73
Yes I am ;-) And Thank you!
Very good and easy explanation ! Gives me an easy review of my studies in the past. Thank you !
Glad it was helpful!
I ran across this while watching Alan's (W2AEW) videos and found it very worth my time to watch it. I believe I may watch it a second and third time...Thank You!
Alan is a source of a lot of good stuff. I watched all his videos ;-)
Excellent tutorial. Complex made simple. Thank you!
Glad you liked it!
Yes - I agree with your caption "Mandatory for Makers"! Thanks for a very informative video. 73s
You are welcome! 73 de HB9BLA
Great tutorial, thank you, perfect timing as I purchased a vna last week.
Enjoy this little device!
A Really, really, really good overview of ALL pertinent considerations when using a (digital) VNA. Yes, I started my career using an analogue one!
Thank you for your compliment! It values more because you seem to know what you are talking about :-)
Perfect explanation!
Finaly I understold the Smith Chart.
Thanks!
You are welcome!
This was an outstanding video. Understandable and informational. Better than several others that put me to sleep, or confused the snot out of me.
Glad the video was helpful!
Thank you very much for this! I have been looking forward to see how NanoVNA V2 behaves.
You are welcome!
One of the best videos I've seen on what a VNA is and how to use it.
Thank you!
Thank you Andreas this information was extremely valuable and wonderfully put. You give the basic information that is required to understand the units. I have not found anything else like this!!👀⭐️⭐️⭐️
Glad it was helpful! I hope you enjoy your nanoVNA...
Thank you very much Andreas for making such that amazing videos. Everything is well covered and simple explanation.
Thank you!
You're welcome!
Someone may have already added this, but regarding the NanoVNA-saver software you can have it run more than the built-in number of sample points. My NanoVNA only does 100 points. I usually do my measurements with 1000 points, though. For that, the NanoVNA-saver program splits the frequency range I entered (and calibrated for) up into 10 segments and then commands the NanoVNA to run each segment from low to high. The NanoVNA itself can only do 100 points, but the NanoVNA-saver software compiles data from the ten segments together, recalculates everything, and displays the results. I'm not fond of the small NanoVNA screen anyway, so I usually use a laptop running NanoVNA-saver. I get to do screen captures and make printouts as well.
You are right with the saver software. And I also do not like the small display. That is why my main device has a 4" screen.
Thank you SIR! Very helpful for somebody new in RF scene.
You are welcome!
Although I bought a NanoVNA-F, the theoretical info in your video is of great value. Thank you so much
Glad it was helpful!
Congratulations for this learning, I just have a shadow area it's the Return Loss and Decibels, thank you again!
You are welcome!
Well explained, especially Smith charts which are frightening things that should be introduced to students with care. I found my V2 worked to 4 GHz and is quite usable for setting up 3.4 GHz 9cm antennas. You could use it to look at your POTY and figure out how it works.
I looked at it when I built my POTY. It did not expose the two dips described by others. This is why I was worried in the beginning. Now I still struggle with the Ethernet connection of my Pluto...
Great video, I love it! I'm teaching the working principles of a VNA to EE students at the university, and since COVID prevents offline courses, I'm using the NanoVNA with NanoVNA Saver to demonstrate the matching process of an antenna and the basic functionality of the device.
Although your measurement with the Nagoya antenna shows that the SWR is over 2, your measurement is not carried out properly if we consider that it shall be used with a handheld radio. The radio's body plays a significant role in the radiation characteristics, so the proper measurement would be done in an anechoic chamber with the antenna attached to the radio. Not everyone has such a chamber at their workplace, so what you can do it the Amateur way:
Take the radio and and an antenna with known gain reference antenna attached to a spectrum analyzer and go out on the field with a known distance between the 2 devices. You know the output power of the radio(or measure it), subtract the path loss and the receiver gain from it and then you have the 0dB gain reference level on the spectrum analyzer. With that knowledge you can calculate the radiated power, which is the REAL information that we need.
I hope this idea helps someone in the future. :)
You are right. I even did a video on how to test antennas in the real world, without an anechoic chamber. But this was not the point in this video. I just wanted to show the match. If everything is rejected, also a high gain will not help ;-)
Thanks for the inspiring video which will motivate many viewers to measure more in this "magic RF" field.
You are welcome. I thought, many Makers use such devices, but sometimes do not know how to use them. It is a little more complex than just a DVM...
I have a MiniVNA and i'm quite happy with it. Helped me to optimize some PCB designs in the past. Did not know about that RF-Demo PCB tho, that is definately something i need to get for a better calibration option on the u.FL connector side of my adapter cables.
I have no idea how good the calibrations are on the PCB. But at least it helped to show the traces as drawn on the Demo PCB...
What an awesome video. So straight forward and explained so well. Thank you.
Glad you liked it!
Thank you Andreas for this excellent video. You present topics in a clear and concise manner that make it easy to understand. We need a Kahn Academy for ham radio. Andreas Academy!
For me, UA-cam is like an academy with excellent teachers. Maybe not easy to find sometimes...
I’ll join the chorus in saying this is an amazingly good VNA explanation and demonstration.
Thank you!
Excellent video! So much practical information provided. Thank you! Btw. just got myself a LibreVNA, will have some fun after I grasp fundamentals like the ones you talked about.
I am sure you will like your VNA!
Hands down the best explanation. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
I am glad you coverd this aspect. I was thinking of purchasing the NanoVna 2 but the new version with N connectors was released so I was not sure which one is better :)
All seem to have the same PCB. I would chose according the connectors I use more often.
@@AndreasSpiess the N connectors are preferred as they are more sturdy and can be used in the fields without any fear of breaking off the small SMA connectors from the PCB.
Thanks for the appreciation. You are all doing the great job of teaching. We owe you a lot.
Andreas thank you very much mate, I found that video extremely educational and helpful!
Glad it was helpful!
Wonderful explanation. Thanks!!
Cheers✨✨
You are welcome!
Video covered EVERY THING! Great Video and easy to understand tutorial.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent detailed explanation .. Thank You for sharing
You are welcome!
Excellent! Thank you for explain these concepts so clearly!
You're very welcome!
Wow. I wish all explanations of the Smith chart were that clear. Thanks!!
Glad you liked it. Thank you!
Thanks so much for a nice and clear tutorial.
You are welcome!
Most understandable video regarding the Smith Chart. Many thanks :)
You are welcome!
Didn't think I needed to watch this one, but indeed I have been using mine wrong. Thank you!
As written in the thumbnail: Viewing is mandatory ;-) I made this video because a lot of people do one or the other mistakes.
@@AndreasSpiess 😄 you were right!
Thanks for the excellent video.
Excellent presentation. But I would point out 2 general things anout antenna measurement. When measuring small unbalanced HT-style antennas, the physical dimensions of the metallic structure they are attached to WILL affect measurements. In addition, good measured return loss/SWR is no guarantee of good radiation performance. If that were true, a dummy load would be a superb antenna! Characterising overall antenna performance is NOT an easy task!
You are right. We try to do our best with handhelds...
I love this Video! It helps me to use my new device! Thank you!
You're welcome!
And again another great video. Finally I got some missing answers. Thanks a lot.
That is the goal of the video. Glad it worked!
Very educational. Well articulated. Thank you sir!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you Andreas as this cleared up a lot of things. The calibration issue worries me however as adapters are needed in most every case, Im not certain how one would know what or how a correction factor/s are used and/or needed to get accurate results.
You will rarely need a correction factor because it is usually possible to calibrate at the reference plane.
Excellent video and has answered so many questions. I am learning by watching as many videos as I can with the end goal to tune a chip antenna connected to an ESP32. A video where it shows adding capacitors and indictors to improve the antenna performance would be the best.
Best is always to tweak the antenna instead of adding parts... I would go with the instructions of the supplier. And google for "PCB Antenna - How To Design, Measure And Tune" on UA-cam.
Thank you! I now have a much better understanding of my VNA.
Happy to help!
Excellent explanation! Thank you!
You're very welcome!
Excellent way of teaching.
Thank you!
This video is an excellent introduction before one goes to W2AEW excellent series. Thanks Andreas.
Definitively the right sequence ;-)
I know from the introduction that this will be an excellent lesson.👍
I hope so ;-)